Gareth Stark, 38, has been jailed for nine years for fatally shaking his three-month-old son, Leon Stark, in Stafford in October 202316:24, 15 May 2026Updated 19:39, 15 May 2026A dad has been jailed for shaking his three-month-old son to death days after being caught on CCTV striking the back of the baby's head at a KFC branch.‌Gareth Stark, 38, had convinced his partner he would never cause harm to anyone before being left alone with Leon Stark at their home in Stafford. The baby died in hospital on October 20, 2023, a week after suffering a deadly "constellation" of injuries, including brain damage caused by abusive head trauma.‌At Birmingham Crown Court on Friday, Stark, of Masefield Drive, Stafford, was sentenced to nine years in prison after pleading guilty in January to battery and manslaughter. He claimed that he had been unable to stop Leon crying and had briefly shaken him in frustration.‌CCTV footage shown to the court captured Stark hitting Leon while the baby's mum's back was turned at a KFC branch in Stafford on October 9, 2023.Opening the facts of the case, prosecutor Lisa Hancox said the fatal shaking took place on October 12, 2023, and the infant died at Birmingham Children's Hospital after it became clear that his brain injury was unsurvivable.‌Ms Hancox said the footage of the earlier assault, which was played to the court with the family's permission, showed the "deliberate and unlawful application of force on a baby three days prior to him being forcibly shaken by Mr Stark".The court heard Stark has one previous conviction for criminal damage after smashing windows at a rented property.Passing sentence, Judge Paul Farrer KC accepted that the incident in KFC did not involve a forceful blow or an intention to cause injury and was carried out with an open hand.‌However, the judge said the assault was an aggravating feature of the manslaughter offence, adding: "It demonstrates that your actions on the 12th of October were not an isolated occurrence. It should have been obvious to you that forcefully shaking him was highly likely to cause at least serious injury."Defence lawyer Justin Jarmola told the court Stark had a long history of mental illness and would never forgive himself for what he had done. Mr Jarmola said: "Mr Stark, through me, immediately wishes to express his absolute and unqualified apology to all of Leon's family, many of whom are here today. This guilt shall be with him forever."In a victim impact statement read to the court, Leon's mum, Lauren Willey, said her life "horrifically fell apart" on the day her "beautiful and handsome" baby died.‌"I believed Gareth Stark would never cause harm to anyone," she said. "I believed in the convincing lies that Gareth told about how desperate he was to have a family."Commenting on the case, James Leslie Francis, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: "As a father, Gareth Stark had a fundamental duty to love and protect his son. Instead, he betrayed that trust in the most devastating way imaginable, causing injuries so severe that Leon did not survive."He misled paramedics and investigators, claiming he had simply found Leon unresponsive. It was only through meticulous police investigation, expert medical evidence, and CCTV footage that the truth of his offending came to light.Article continues below"The Crown Prosecution Service will vigorously prosecute those who inflict harm on children and those who cannot protect themselves to ensure they face the full force of the law."We hope that seeing Gareth Stark sentenced today brings Leon's family and loved ones a small measure of comfort at an incredibly painful time."